


Even Death Won’t Part Us Now

by Lyssala



Category: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Canon Universe, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 01:03:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19096558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyssala/pseuds/Lyssala
Summary: “Hey, let’s do that.”“Do what?”“Get married.”She slowly turned her head up to look at him, too surprised to even ask if he was being serious. But it was his eyes that told her the truth. He was looking distantly towards one of the broken stained glass windows, his face was almost neutral in comparison to his usual smile but she knew the melancholy stare well enough. Her stomach sank.“You have to leave again don’t you?”He hesitated, but his smile was back in an instant. “C’mon, we’re in a church, what else would we do?”A short and sweet moment in Zack and Aerith's too little time together.





	Even Death Won’t Part Us Now

**Author's Note:**

> I'm like 20 years too late to this party but whatever LMAO I was on my way to my brother's wedding when I had the image of the scene in West Side Story when Tony and Maria have their wedding ceremony in the bridal salon (the title is from One Hand One Heart as well!). I immediately thought of Zack and Aerith and the church - I just had to write something way too fluffy for them. I have this habit of liking really emotional pairings and then giving them so much sap so here's my contribution to these sweet kids <3 I've only written them in parts of modern au KH fics this is the first time I did a fic just for them so I hope its enjoyable <3

Aerith heard Zack before she saw him, as she often did. It was hard not to hear the heavy footsteps of his boots against the old stone steps leading to the wooden doors of the church, or maybe she just got used to listening for it. She didn’t look up from her book or move from her spot on the splintered pew, even when she heard the doors creak open.

Boots clacked against the stone aisle and Aerith flipped the page of her book. It was a little hard to read since some of the pages were missing, sometimes even half the page was ripped out, but she could still make do and fill in the story in her head. Granted it got a _little_ harder to read when she felt Zack sit down in the pew behind her, leaning over so his arms where over the back of her pew, elbow brushing against her shoulder.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see him place his chin on top on his arms, head tilting to her, and blue eyes looking down at the page she was reading. Even just seeing him made her feel an overwhelming sense of relief. She resisted a sighing at the warm presence he always brought her mixed with the smell of worn leather and something fresh and sweet she could never quite place her finger on; she just knew it reminded her of him.

“Hey, Aerith, you do know this book is missing a huge chunk of the page, right?” he said.

She couldn’t hold back a smile from her lips as she tilted her head to him. His eyes were curious but also had that glint to them they always got when he teased her. How long had it been this time since she saw that look, those eyes? She couldn’t quite remember but it didn’t matter; he was here now.

“Yes,” she said simply, flipping to the next page…which was also torn out.

“Usually pages are important when you read.”

“Who said that?”

Zack propped his chin up in his hand, fingers tapping against his face as he seemed to be thinking about her question. “I don’t know, whoever made books in the first place.”

“I don’t think you need written words to tell stories,” she said.

He clicked his tongue in realization as he pointed his free hand towards her. “You’re making up the story as you go along, aren’t you?”

Aerith hummed, moving to cross her legs so she could shift towards him. “That makes it a new story every time I read it.”

When he smiled, it was like what she imagined the sun to look like. Zack braced his hands on the back of the pew, pushing himself up and over so he could land on the ground. He sat down next to her with a sigh, reaching his hands up behind his head as he leaned back. “Okay, what’s this story about then?”

“Well,” she started, looking back down at the worn and beaten pages. “It’s a love story.”

“Is it?” He had his eyes closed, but his smile was still on his lips. “I like love stories.”

From the way he was sitting she could see a healing wound on the underside of his arm; three deep gashes, red and angry as his body tried to heal itself. Zack was usually fairly honest with her, especially when she asked but there were some things he didn’t like to say and when he was hurt on the job was one of those things.

Her heart clenched; even knowing his body healed faster than most didn’t always make it better. He was still human. Aerith hummed instead, flipping the next page. “So do I, there’s something very sweet about it.”

He cracked an eye open at her. “You gonna tell me the story? Or do I have get it out of you?” Zack leaned towards her, hands reaching out right to where he knew she was the most ticklish. Something he found out when he tried to sneak up on her from behind, grabbing onto her sides to lift her off her feet. If she hadn’t recognized his footsteps he probably would’ve gotten a black eye, but his arms around her was always welcomed. Despite how much she fought him at the time, they were welcome even when he learned she was ticklish and absolutely tried to use it to his advantage.  

“No,” she laughed, holding a hand out to his chest which made him stop. “It’s a simple story, childhood friends.”

He leaned back against the pew again and it was only then she realized he didn’t have his sword on him. It was probably by the door, not too far from reach should danger come to them yet still, it meant he felt safe here with her. Aerith tucked her legs up under her, leaning against his chest as his arm came down from the back of the pew to around her shoulders.

“He left their village to make himself a hero and feel worthy enough for the girl he loved.”

“Understandable,” Zack said, reaching a hand out to tuck some of her stray hair back behind her ear.

“But what the boy didn’t know was the girl he loved already liked him just the way he was and didn’t need him to prove anything.”

“Ah, such is a tale of miscommunication.”

Aerith chuckled. “So they missed their chance.”

“Forever?” Zack arched an eyebrow at her, like he absolutely didn’t like that turn in the story; which he probably didn’t, he was a big romantic at heart.

“No, not forever,” she said, holding the book up again. “Just for a little while, so much so the girl almost didn’t recognize her childhood friend when she saw him again.”

“And was he the great hero he wanted to be?”

“No,” Aerith said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Zack’s face. When he cut his hair it made him look older, but she was pretty sure there was nothing he could do to take away his baby face. “He wasn’t and he was ashamed, coming home with his tail between his legs, but guess what?”

“What?”

“She didn’t care. She was so happy to see him and know he was safe she threw her arms around him and never let go.”

“Huh,” he said, reaching a hand up to rub at his chin. “Meant she still liked him just the way he was.”

“Yes, she did,” Aerith said. “Happily ever after.”

“Oh no, it’s not happily ever after without a wedding.”

“Okay,” she snorted, closing the book and reaching over to press it to his chest. “A wedding and then happily ever after.”

He reached up to take the book from her. “Who asked who? I bet he did, right?”

“Nope,” Aerith said with a grin. “She did.”

Zack whistled. “A woman who knows what she wants. I do like that.”

Aerith laughed, leaning in against him while his fingers drew little circles on her arm. She was about to ask him how he was, how his last mission went but he reached a hand up to tap at her head lightly.

“Hey, let’s do that.”

“Do what?”

“Get married.”

She slowly turned her head up to look at him, too surprised to even ask if he was being serious. But it was his eyes that told her the truth. He was looking distantly towards one of the broken stained glass windows, his face was almost neutral in comparison to his usual smile but she knew the melancholy stare well enough. Her stomach sank.

“You have to leave again don’t you?”

He hesitated, but his smile was back in an instant. “C’mon, we’re in a church, what else would we do?”

“Probably lots of things.”

Zack carefully stood up to his feet, reaching his hands back to hers. He grabbed her, pulling her up so quickly she thought she might trip into him. “It’s perfect, I’m already in black you’re in…close enough to white.”

She wanted to be upset, to give into that hurt and loneliness which came when once again she’d only get a little bit of time before he had to go off to who knows where and whatever danger lurked there but it was impossible when he looked at her like that. She could only laugh, her chest feeling the warmth and happiness that he learned was unique to Zack. “I think we need a little more than just the right colored clothes.”

“Like what?”

“Like rings,” she said, reaching a hand out to tap lightly at his chest. “Did you buy me a ring?”

“Uhh…” Zack hesitated looking around the rubble of the church. “Right, that’s important.” He held up a finger to her and quickly moved around the front of the old sanctuary, clearly trying to find something that would work.

Aerith covered her mouth as she tried not to laugh. It was silly, playing make believe like this but at the same time maybe they needed some make believe to forget what loomed outside the safety of the church. Zack was scratching at the back of his head, clearly at a loss but it was cute, he was cute for taking his game so seriously. It made the tightness in her stomach at the thought of him vanishing again flutter away.

He snapped his fingers as his face lit up with an idea, pointing to the flower bed. “May I?”

She nodded. “A small one.”

Zack leaned down to pick one of the straggler flowers at the edge of the bed with delicate care that his hands didn’t look like they’d be capable of. She knew better though; despite the strength he carried to hold that sword of his, he was the gentlest person she knew.

He walked back over to her, snapping the thin stem in half and then breaking the flower head off. He reached up to tuck the pink petals behind her ear before holding up what was once a flower stem. “Got it. What else do we need?”

Aerith crossed her arms, tapping her foot against the broken stone path trying to think of what else she remembered of weddings. “I suppose I need a bouquet.”

“Imagine that, we’re already in a church, right colored clothes, and the only place in the slums that has flowers. Didn’t I tell you this was perfect?”

She reached up to swat at his arm as she walked over to pick some of the flowers. He was chuckling while he watched her but she ignored him, carefully running her hands over some of the flowers. She wanted to stick to her rule for him and pick a few tiny ones but she didn’t, she picked a group of her favorites.

“Beautiful,” he grinned as she stood back up, walking over to him again.

“Me or the flowers?”

“The flowers of course.”

“You aren’t starting out so great for happily ever after.”

He was close enough to put his hand on her back, looking down at her in a way that made her breath catch in her throat. “Still feels like we’re missing something.”

“Oh,” Aerith said, remembering it wasn’t just white dresses brides wore. “A veil, girls usually wear a veil in their hair.”

“Okay,” Zack said though he hesitated now, probably not knowing where they’d ever find such a thing down here. “Wait here.”

She watched him head back around to sides of the church, along the windows both regular and stained glass. Some were still intact but a lot were broken and cracked, just like the rest of the building. Zack leaned down out of sight and all she could hear was something ripping. For a moment she thought maybe he ripped part of his uniform to give to her, because she wouldn’t put that past him, but when he stood up he was grinning again, holding up white fabric.

This man never ceased to amaze her. “How did you pull that off?”

“I think it’s in old curtain or something,” he shrugged. “It was under some rocks.” Zack shook it to get rid of the dirt and if any bugs were lurking in it. It wasn’t pure white after years of being in here and it was jagged from him ripping it but it was still long and pretty, some lace still on it even.

“Perfect,” she said, reaching a hand out to touch the soft fabric. Somehow this church and Zack always showed her beauty could be found anywhere.

He held it up to her, asking permission with a gesture towards her. She nodded, watching him drape the fabric over her back, carefully tucking the edges into her ponytail and ribbon that was already there. Aerith really didn’t know how he got it to stay but it fell over her shoulders and down her back. “How does it look?”

He reached a hand to her cheek. “Beautiful.”

“Me this time?”

“The fabric is amazing. Did you see how I whipped that veil together? C’mon, that was good.”

She hit his arm again as he laughed. “Alright, wise ass, you do know we need a witness and also someone ordained to make it official, right?”

Zack hummed in thought, looking over her shoulder. He pointed behind her. “That guy looks like he’d be ordained.”

Aerith followed his gaze to see a man in flowing robes in the stained glass window. He had a halo over his head, cherubs flying around him. “Well, he’s a Saint so I guess that would be as ordained as we can get.”

“Angels count as witnesses?”

“Of course they do.”

Zack took a breath holding up one of the stems, gesturing for her hand with the other. She carefully put it in his hand, the callouses hard and rough but familiar in the softest way. It was a silly game they were playing, like they were children much younger than they were but everything seemed quiet around them when he looked up at her.

“I, Zack Fair,” he started, carefully wrapping the stem around her finger. “Promise to hold and cherish, Aerith Gainsborough, for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health, for all the days of my life. To make our two lives as one.” He paused, tying the excess of the stem so it stayed on her finger. “As husband and wife, not just till death but far beyond.”

She wasn’t quite sure if that’s how wedding vows really went but it didn’t matter, she couldn’t keep her eyes off of him even when he let go of her. He held the other half of the stem out to her. Aerith carefully shifted her flowers to take it, reaching for his hand opposite hers.

“I, Aerith Gainsborough,” she repeated, twisting the stem around his finger like he did hers, recalling the words he just spoke easily. A part of her wondered if she’d ever forget. “Promise to hold and cherish, Zack Fair, for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health, for all the days of my life. To make our lives one as husband and wife, not just till death but far beyond.” She tied off the stem, holding his hand with hers, the oddly misshapen “rings” on their fingers sweet in their own way.

Aerith looked up at him but he was already leaning into her.

“I’m pretty sure he said, ‘You may now kiss the bride’,” Zack said.

“Oh, did he now?”

“Pretty sure I heard it.”

She didn’t wait for him, reaching her hands to his face pulling him down till his mouth was pressed to hers. It wasn’t the first and she hoped with all she had it wasn’t the last.

His lips were soft against her as he kissed her back, something she didn’t think she’d ever get sick of. Zack wrapped his arms around her waist lifting her off the ground. She moved her hands around his neck pull herself closer, flowers brushing up against the back of his head. Before she could keep being content just kissing him, he spun himself, swinging her around to make her laugh.

The veil fell off somewhere but it didn’t matter. When he put her back down, he kept his forehead against her so he could still hold onto her. “You’re always beautiful. Not the flowers, or the fabric, just you.”

He’d leave again, it was the way it worked; she knew that going into wanting to be with him. So she’d hold these moments close to her when he was far away. It was just a game they played today, sure, just something to make them laugh, something to forget the world around them for a little bit. Still she knew she meant what she said. As Zack held onto her, his head still pressed to hers, she knew he meant it too; even if no one was there to hear it but them.

That was all she needed to get through the long days to come.


End file.
